1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a disengaging tool for disengaging a terminal from a terminal housing chamber and to a wire connector having the terminal housing chamber into which the disengaging tool is inserted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In FIGS. 2(a), (b) and 3, a male connector 1 is provided with a connector housing 3 with a terminal housing chamber 5 extending in the front and rear directions (in the right and left direction in FIG. 2 (a)). A front side stopper 32 for a female terminal 9 is formed at the front side within the terminal housing chamber 5. An opening 31 for inserting a male terminal and an opening 29 for inserting a disengaging tool 13 (refer to FIG. 1) for disengaging the terminal 9 open to the front of the terminal housing chamber 5. An opening 14 for inserting the female terminal 9 opens to the rear of the terminal housing chamber 5.
An elastic engaging arm 7 is mounted on the inner side of the connector housing 3. The elastic engaging arm 7 extends to the front side of the connector housing 3 and is provided with an engaging projection 11 at the tip for engaging a engaging portion 9a of the female terminal 9 contained in the terminal housing chamber 5. The elastic engaging arm 7 is also provided with a tapered hook portion 15 at the tip for engaging the tip 13a of the disengaging tool 13.
As shown in FIG. 4, a female connector 2 is provided with a connector housing 4 with a terminal housing chamber 5 extending in the front and rear directions. A front side stopper 16 for a male terminal 17 is mounted on the front end of the terminal housing chamber 5. An opening 18 for projecting a electrical conductor portion 17b of the male terminal 17 and an opening 29 for inserting the disengaging tool 13 open to the front of the terminal housing chamber 5. An opening 14 for inserting the male terminal 17 opens to the rear of the terminal housing chamber 5.
An elastic engaging arm 7 is mounted on the inner wall of the terminal housing chamber 5 in the same way as the male connector 1. The elastic engaging arm 7 extends to the front side of the connector housing 4 and is provided with an engaging projection 11 at the tip for engaging a engaging hole 17a of the male terminal 17 contained in the terminal housing chamber 5. The tip of the elastic engaging arm 7 is also provided with a tapered hook portion 15 for engaging the tip 13a of the disengaging tool 13.
In the case where the female terminal 9 is inserted into the terminal housing chamber 5 of the female connector 2 and the male terminal 17 is inserted into the terminal housing chamber 5 of the male connector 1 by mistake, it is necessary that the incorrectly inserted terminals be changed.
In the case of the female terminal 9, the disengaging tool 13 with a rectangular cross-section is inserted into the opening 29, the tip 13a engages the hook portion 15, as shown in FIG. 3, and the disengaging tool 13 pivots on the electrical conductor portion 9b to bend the elastic engaging arm 7, disengaging the engaging projection 11 from the engaging portion 9a. Then, the female terminal 9 is extracted from the terminal housing chamber 5 to the rear.
In addition, in the case of the male terminal 17, the disengaging tool 13 is inserted into the opening 29, the disengaging tool 13 pivots on the electrical conductor portion 17b of the male terminal 17 in the same way as the above, disengaging the engaging projection 11 from the engaging hole 17a, so that the male terminal 17 is extracted from the terminal housing chamber 5 to the rear.
However, in the conventional connector and tool, because the disengaging tool 13 pivots on the electrical conductor portion 9b, 17b of the female and the male terminal 9, 17, there is concern of the electrical conductor portion 9b, 17b could be deformed.
In addition, because the engaging area of the tip 13a of the disengaging tool 13 and the hook portion 15 are small, there is a tendency for the engagement to be released, and there is concern that the hook portion 15 will be damaged from repeated engagement and disengagement.
Moreover, in the case of the male connector 1, there is concern that the disengaging tool 13 could be inserted into the opening 31 for the male terminal and into the electrical conductor portion 9b of the female terminal 9 by mistake, damaging the elastic contact portion 9c.